Commonly, a protective garment, such as a pair of bunker pants for a firefighter or a bunker coat for a firefighter, has a composite structure, which is made from fire-resistant materials and which has a thermal barrier, a moisture barrier covering the thermal barrier and being impervious to moisture, and an outer shell covering the moisture barrier, providing puncture resistance, abrasion resistance, or both, and being pervious to moisture.
Commonly, a protective pad, such as a knee pad, an elbow pad, or a shoulder pad, is affixed to such a garment. Commonly, as known heretofore, such a protective pad is made from fire-resistant materials and has a thermal barrier and an outer cover covering the thermal barrier and providing puncture resistance, abrasion resistance, or both.
Usage of particles of a superabsorbent polymer in a composite structure for a protective garment, such as a protective garment for a firefighter, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,912 to Bumberger, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Hereinbefore and hereinafter, moisture refers to any predominantly aqueous liquid, particularly but not exclusively water. Hereinbefore and hereinafter, terms such as inner and outer are employed from a standpoint of a wearer of a protective garment.